A mini-French Week post of sorts as an annual event begins, a new documentary on a favorite drink of choice, and a classic documentary returns for a short period of time. As well, discover more than a few summer capsule wardrobe staples, books for decor, strengthening your well-being, gardening made simple and much more.

Books

—Bedtime: Inspirational Beds, Bedrooms, and Boudoirs by Celia Forner

Released in November 2019 and recommended by House & Garden UK magazine, if you want to escape into grand bedrooms and boudoirs, this is the book to do so. “Celia Forner whisks you through the bedrooms of queens and emperors, designers and decorators, today’s most exclusive hotels, and even the most evocative fictional boudoirs from stage and screen. Taking us from Marie Antoinette to the Maharaja of Indore; from Tony Duquette to Peter Marino; from Mae West and Peggy Guggenheim to Rudolph Nureyev; from Gone with the Wind to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bedtime is a must have for anyone who dreams of sleeping like a king or queen.”

—Green: Simple Ideas for Small Outdoor Spaces by Ula Maria

If creating a soothing and restorative garden space of your own is something you would like to do, but you are short on time, be sure to check out British garden designer’s book Green (released last May 2020). Discover “gardening instructions for small spaces, flowers in small pots and tips on growing plants in urban areas.”(shop the title on Bookshop)

—Pause. Breathe. Choose: Become the CEO of Your Well-Being by Naz Beheshti

Released this past February, executive wellness coach Naz Beheshti’s book “distills the most valuable lessons she learned from her first boss and mentor, Steve Jobs, into a holistic method to live your best life . . . Offering over 80 proven tools and strategies to improve yourself and your workplace and achieve sustainable success. The key to thriving in today’s high-pressure culture is to cultivate deep self-awareness and strong emotional intelligence, which facilitates making mindful choices that transform your life: One conscious choice begets another. Rooted in neuroscience, mindfulness, and positive psychology, Pause. Breathe. Choose. is a guide for self-discovery, better choices, and purposeful growth.” (shop the title on Bookshop.org)

—Wild at Heart: For the Love of Pets and Beautiful Homes by Magali Elali

Released in 2019, but undoubtedly a book which won’t surprise you when learning it caught my eye. 🙂 “Magali Elali and Bart Kiggen visited people who share their beautiful houses with their pets. They interviewed fifteen creatives at home about a subject that many people all over the world can relate to: the unique bond between people and their pets. Whenever the love of animals is a part of someone’s life, it will inevitably color his or her way of working, living and thinking. In Wild at Heart Bart and Magali share personal stories about important and small encounters, fun anecdotes and relatable situations, set in tasteful and inspiring interiors and breathtaking nature scenes.”

British Finds

—The Long Weekend: Life in the English Country House, 1918-1939 by Adrian Tinniswood

I am most interested in this book, not only as an Anglophile, but as someone who enjoyed British history courses in college. “In The Long Weekend, historian Adrian Tinniswood introduces us to the tumultuous, scandalous and glamorous history of English country houses during the years between World Wars. As estate taxes and other challenges forced many of these venerable houses onto the market, new sectors of British and American society were seduced by the dream of owning a home in the English countryside. Drawing on thousands of memoirs, letters, and diaries, as well as the eye-witness testimonies of belted earls and bibulous butlers, Tinniswood brings the stately homes of England to life as never before, opening the door to a world by turns opulent and ordinary, noble and vicious, and forever wrapped in myth.”

Cookbooks

—Home Farm Cooking by Catherine and John Pawson

Released this past April, “Home Farm is the Pawson family’s base in the heart of the English countryside. Five years in the making, the beautiful house was built to unite friends and relatives in a bucolic, simple setting. In this personal, inspiring recipe collection John and Catherine share 100 favorite dishes, all fundamental to their home-cooking — and entertaining — repertoire. The result speaks beautifully of food shared and enjoyed in a space designed to accommodate and adapt to the seasonal shift in cooking and eating.”

Francophile Find

—Clara Luciani album Coeur

Introduced here on TSLL last week, French singer Clara Luciani’s new album is now available for listening. Perfect for summer leisure and relaxing, adding some French music to your next soiree or travel excursion may just be that extra je ne sais quoi you’re looking for.

—The French, film by William Klein (from 1982)

American photographer and film-maker “William Klein was the first person to be granted full, exclusive access to the tournament in [the French Open’s] 90-year history, and using that doorway into locker rooms, TV studios, and players’ boxes, he shot the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at the 1981 French Open—a crucial moment in a crucial year in the history of a game, and its iconic players Björn Borg, John McEnroe, Chris Evert, Yannick Noah, and Ivan Lendl. The film is now available to be streamed for a short time (through July 1st) on Metrograph. Have a look at the trailer below.

—Le Tour de France begins!

https://frenchly.us/where-to-watch-the-tour-de-france-in-the-u-s/

—Sparkling: The Story of Champagne, documentary

A new documentary digging into the history of Champagne – who actually established it first – France or England? – hits theaters today, and with it many questions are answers, but perhaps not all are agreed upon. The filming took place last year with wine-makers deemed essential workers in order to enable them to work in the vineyards. Looks intriguing, most definitely. Check out the trailer below.

Shopping

—Daphne Wilde The Stella in Striped Denim

—J. McClaughlin’s Summer Collection

There are many worth-checking-out finds for the summer capsule wardrobe (I have gathered a few below, but be sure to shop the entire site). The linen shirt below will always be a staple to keep on hand, and with so many different colors, it will be easier to find one you love.

—M.M. LaFleur The Caitlin Short—snubbed stretch linen (more colors)

—Viviet et Margot Artisan Round Wire Basket

A simple basket for the kitchen or the garden, for eggs, fruit or vegetables that can also add a stylish touch.

Television

—Ms. Fisher’s Modern Mysteries, Season 2 (AcornTV)

I stumbled across the second season of Ms. Fisher’s Modern Mysteries on AcornTV last week (thoroughly enjoyed the first last year), and have been enjoying Perregrine Fisher (Miss Fisher’s Mysteries – her niece) as she goes about her sleuthing in the 1950s/60s Victoria, Australia. Have a look at the trailer below and enjoy a new episode each Monday.

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The first week of summer, and as shared in this post earlier this week, much is already being savored, and I look forward to much more. Spending time in the garden in the morning, working in the office until early afternoon and then heading out and about for errands when the heat rises has been a nice daily routine I could easily settle into.

Stumbling across these campanulas at the farmers’ market this week brought a smile to my face immediately, and when Roots Wild’s owner shared they last about 2-3 weeks, I knew they would be coming home with me (granted, she may have been referring to the length on the vine, but still, I will do my best while they are in the vase ;)).

This week on the blog was all about the summer season, from Monday’s podcast episode taking us to Provence, and Saturday’s Ponderings including peeks into my garden. Speaking of France, I have been quite enjoying the series included in last week’s This & That – L’Agence – a luxury real estate reality series focusing entirely on one family-run business in Paris (learn more in this post). And lastly, on the topic of France, TSLL’s 6th Annual French Week will be here before we know it (August 8-15), and similar to British Week, all of the giveaways will be exclusive to TOP Tier subscribers, so be sure to explore the options for enjoying the TOP Tier benefits which also include access to unlimited and exclusive content, all ad-free.

I do hope your week went well, and you are finding a rhythm that suits what you both need to do and wish to do. Thank you very much for stopping by this week, and enjoy a handful of articles I have gathered below for weekend perusing. Until Monday, bonne journée.

~15 months (458 days), Europe is now officially open for Americans and Canadians. [AFar]

~Tour this relaxed (yet incredibly chic) London House by Hugh Leslie [House & Garden UK]

~An unassuming British gardener, Gerald Stratford, is now quite well known for living a simple and quite successful gardening life [The New York Times]

~Discover what is stopping you from living your most fulfilling life [Pick the Brain]

~Any guesses as to the perfect number of hours to work during the work day? [Wired]

~Victoria Beckham made some fashion industry shake-up news this week [Vogue UK]

~If you haven’t begun watching L’Agence on Netflix, having already begun the reality real estate series, I recommend you check it out. While this article wants more real estate and less family focus, I disagree and find the balance quite nice. [Frenchly]

~Now open after 16 years, Paris’ Art Deco department store La Samaritaine is worth checking out [Afar]

~Gardeners! Discover ideas for successful succession planting from Joe Lamp [Homes & Garden UK]